"The horror. The horror."
Posted on 12/05/2006 10:47:03 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
Forget the minimum wage. Or outsourcing jobs overseas. The labor issue most on the minds of members of Congress yesterday was their own: They will have to work five days a week starting in January.
The horror.
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, the Maryland Democrat who will become House majority leader and is writing the schedule for the next Congress, said members should expect longer hours than the brief week they have grown accustomed to.
"I have bad news for you," Hoyer told reporters. "Those trips you had planned in January, forget 'em. We will be working almost every day in January, starting with the 4th."
The reporters groaned. "I know, it's awful, isn't it?" Hoyer empathized.
For lawmakers, it is awful, compared with what they have come to expect. For much of this election year, the legislative week started late Tuesday and ended by Thursday afternoon -- and that was during the relatively few weeks the House wasn't in recess.
Next year, members of the House will be expected in the Capitol for votes each week by 6:30 p.m. Monday and will finish their business about 2 p.m. Friday, Hoyer said.
With the new calendar, the Democrats are trying to project a businesslike image when they take control of Congress in January. House and Senate Democratic leaders have announced an ambitious agenda for their first 100 hours and say they are adamant about scoring legislative victories they can trumpet in the 2008 campaigns.
Hoyer and other Democratic leaders say they are trying to repair the image of Congress, which was so anemic this year it could not meet a basic duty: to approve spending bills that fund government. By the time the gavel comes down on the 109th Congress on Friday, members will have worked a total of 103 days.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I knew somebody who used to have a job, but often had "other plans" during the normal work week.
Operative words being "used to"....
"The horror. The horror."
It is horrible. The more they 'work' the more bad stuff they do to the American people.
I have several reactions and the first is amusement. This president, totally in contrast with the last, is known for his business-like ways. The dems, much to my surprise, understand that and are attempting to compete. Second, if the legislature was the arm of a limited government like our founding fathers envisioned, they wouldn't need to be there so long. So their own encroachment into areas in which they shouldn't be and their competition with a very professional president is pulling them into a work schedule and a need to present a media-ready picture which does not please them and necessitates much harder work, or at least the appearance of it, that contrasts to what they want to experience during their tenure there. I just cannot help but find the humor in this, although I think their attention cannot be good for the country should they decide to keep it up.
As a nation, we'd be better off if they wouldn't go to work at all.
wow
But will they submit to a background check and urine test like most other FULL TIME employees?
I'm glad to see some folks "get it". The people on this thread cheering this on, scare me.
"No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the Legislature is in session”
That and more time to mount endless "investigations", impeachments etc.
Well here's to hoping they get their act together
You're right again .. PR played a big roll in the last election for the Dems
Sure glad this isn't the Senate.....old fat kennedy wouldn't stand for this...why it cuts into his 'drinking' time...and what about all those skirts he chases....nope, hope the Senate doesn't purpose this idea, he'd have a FIT!!!
What a laugh, more time for the Dims to try pushing their left wing agenda. Lets lobby for a congress that meets one day a month.
I would agree with you ONLY if they were there 5 days a week to UNDO laws, everyday, morning to night, THEN when all the useless junk laws are wiped out they can be citizen legislators who would work part time only.
I agree with that. Keep them from causing too much trouble as often as possible. Also, keeping them in their districts allows us to visit with them more frequently.
Did you all read the article?
It's from 6:30 p.m. Monday until 2:00 p.m. on Friday.
Where I come from, that ain't five days a week, 8 hours a day.
Which makes Kingston's whining even MORE embarassing!
Well, that'll make the first 100 hours go faster, huh?
Next year, members of the House will be expected in the Capitol for votes each week by 6:30 p.m. Monday and will finish their business about 2 p.m. Friday, Hoyer said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120501342_pf.html
You see how that works? All the liberals have to do is SAY something and it's true.
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